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Release revoked for Ricardo Soto, man charged in the death of his 2-year-old son

Authorities are looking for Ruidoso Downs man Ricardo Soto, 34, who is charged with child abuse leading to the death of his 2-year-old son last year.
Soto was indicted in June for perjury.
Soto is considered to be extremely dangerous and the public is urged to call 911 if they see him.(Photo: Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office)

A Ruidoso Downs man who fled to Mexico last year when charged in the death of his 2-year-old son is now being held without bond for violating conditions of his release.

Ricardo Soto, 35, was indicted by a Lincoln County Grand Jury and charged with intentional abuse of a child resulting in death in 2018.

Soto’s biological son was found unresponsive June 7, and was taken to the Lincoln County Medical Center and subsequently transferred to the Children’s Hospital at University Hospital in El Paso, Texas. Doctors contacted Texas Child Protective Services when they suspected the child was the victim of abuse.

The child died June 10, while in the hospital.

Soto faced life in prison if convicted.

Soto fled to Mexico during the investigation into the child's death by New Mexico State Police. He was arrested when he attempted to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico last June, according to court documents.

A hearing was held last week to review conditions for his release.

Judge Angie Schneider issued findings on Friday that the district attorney's office established Soto violated conditions for his release by committing perjury and for moving out of his custodian’s residence without permission from his pretrial services division officer or the court.

Soto was indicted by an Otero County Grand Jury for one count of perjury in June.

Soto allegedly lied under oath before Schneider in March during a hearing on a motion to dismiss the indictment in the child abuse resulting in death case, according to Schneider’s court order.

When an arrest warrant was issued, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Ruidoso Downs Police Department attempted to arrest Soto at the custodian’s residence, but officers learned he had moved out months earlier.

Soto filed a motion to dismiss the indictment and testified he was not served with notice that he was the target of a grand jury investigation, as required by state law.

However, the district attorney's office had an audio recording that indicated that New Mexico State Police Agent Eric Marrujo and Sgt. Roberto Diaz had served Soto with the notice while he was waiting to be extradited from an El Paso jail on July 13, according to court documents.